Regaine for women

Main use

Active ingredient

Manufacturer

Hereditary hair loss

Minoxidil 2%

Pfizer Consumer Healthcare

How does it work?

Regaine for women solution contains the active ingredient
minoxidil, which is a medicine used for the treatment of hereditary hair loss.
It is not fully understood how minoxidil stimulates hair growth.

Minoxidil was first used in tablet form as a medicine to treat
high blood pressure (an antihypertensive). It was noticed that patients being
treated with minoxidil experienced excessive hair growth (hypertrichosis) as a
side effect. Further research showed that hair growth could also be stimulated
by applying a solution of minoxidil directly to the scalp. The amount of
minoxidil absorbed through the skin into the bloodstream is usually too small
to cause internal side effects.

Minoxidil dilates the tiny blood vessels in the scalp, which
increases the blood circulation to the hair follicles. This may be how
minoxidil stimulates hair growth.

The solution should be applied to the affected areas of the
scalp twice a day. The scalp and hair should be dry before applying the
solution. It may take twice daily applications for at least four months for any
hair regrowth to become noticable.

Regaine will not work for everyone and it is not possible to
predict individual responses. If there is no improvement after a year you
should stop using the treatment.

If your hair growth is stimulated, you will need to keep using
Regaine twice a day for the growth to continue. Regrown hair may disappear
three to four months after you stop using Regaine and the balding process will
then continue.

What is it used for?

Warning!

Wash your hands after applying this medicine to avoid
inadvertently transfering it to other areas.

Avoid use on broken or inflamed skin.

Avoid contact of this medicine with the eyes and the moist
membranes lining the inside of certain parts of the body, eg mouth, nasal
passages (mucous membranes). Rinse with cold water if accidental contact
occurs.

Your hair may shed when you first start using this medicine.
This is due to old hairs falling out as new hairs grow in their place. If
shedding persists for longer than two weeks, discontinue treatment and consult
your doctor.

Use with caution in

Heart disease or an irregular heart beat. If you have a heart
condition you should consult your doctor before using this medicine.

Not to be used in

Women who are using other medicines or occlusive dressings
applied to the scalp

Pregnancy

Breastfeeding.

This medicine is not recommended for women under 18 or over 65
years of age, as there is no information available regarding its safety in
these age groups.

This medicine should not be used if you are allergic to one or
any of its ingredients. Please inform your doctor or pharmacist if you have
previously experienced such an
allergy.

If you feel you have
experienced an allergic reaction, stop using this medicine and inform your
doctor or pharmacist immediately.

Pregnancy and Breastfeeding

Certain medicines should not be used during pregnancy or
breastfeeding. However, other medicines may be safely used in pregnancy or
breastfeeding providing the benefits to the mother outweigh the risks to the
unborn baby. Always inform your doctor if you are pregnant or planning a
pregnancy, before using any medicine.

The safety of this medicine during pregnancy has not been
established. It should not be used by pregnant women. Seek medical advice from
your doctor.

There is no information available about the safety of this
medicine during breastfeeding. For this reason, the manufacturer states that it
should not be used by women who are breastfeeding. Seek medical advice from
your doctor.

Side effects

Medicines and their possible side effects can affect individual
people in different ways. The following are some of the side effects that are
known to be associated with this medicine. Because a side effect is stated
here, it does not mean that all people using this medicine will experience that
or any side effect.

Itching

Skin irritation

Dry skin

Flushing of the scalp skin due to widening of the small blood
vessels (erythema)

Flaking scalp

Unwanted growth of hair on other parts of the body, including
the face

Worsening of hair loss

The side effects listed above may not include all of the side
effects reported by the drug's
manufacturer.

For more
information about any other possible risks associated with this medicine,
please read the information provided with the medicine or consult your doctor
or pharmacist.

How can this medicine affect other medicines?

Certain medicines that are applied to the skin can increase the
permeability of the skin. These include corticosteroids such as hydrocortisone,
retinoids such as isotretinoin or tretinoin, dithranol, urea and vaseline. You
should not use Regaine if you are using any other medicines on your scalp,
because they might cause more minoxidil to be absorbed through the skin into
the bloodstream. This could increase the risk of any side effects.

You should not use Regaine if you are taking any medicines for
high blood pressure. This because there is a theoretical risk that the Regaine
could enhance the effect of the blood pressure medication and make you feel
dizzy.

The materials in this web site are in no way intended to replace the professional medical care, advice, diagnosis or treatment of a doctor. The web site does not have answers to all problems. Answers to specific problems may not apply to everyone. If you notice medical symptoms or feel ill, you should consult your doctor - for further information see our Terms and conditions.